Nashik Kumbh Begins: Here’s the Myth and History Behind the ‘Mela’

The Nashik Kumbh Mela is here. Find out the myth and history behind one of the world’s largest peaceful gatherings.

Devotees raise their hands to receive coloured holy water from a priest on the banks of the river Ganges in Allahabad. (Photo: Reuters)

The Nashik Kumbh Mela is set to begin on July 14 and will continue till September 18.

In a staggering display of devotion, over 30 lakh pilgrims are expected to arrive at the Maharashtra city.

But what is the Kumbh Mela? What is the story behind it? How far back does it go?

Gods, Travellers Philosophers

The Kumbh Mela is held at Allahabad or Prayag, where the Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati meet – at Haridwar on the banks of the Ganga, at Ujjain on the banks of the river Shipra and, of course, at Nashik on the banks of the Godavari.

Pilgrims bathe in the Ganga during the Allahabad Kumbh Mela. The holy rivers are said to wash away sins. (Photo: Reuters) 

Each of these places hosts the Kumbh Mela every three years. Why? Well, according to Indian mythology, the gods or devas were once facing defeat at the hands of the demons or asuras, having lost their strength completely. Appealing to Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva for help, the devas were advised to churn amrit or ambrosia from the primordial sea. This the devas managed to do with the help of the asuras – after entering into an agreement with them (since they’d never be able to do it by themselves). However, once the task was complete, the devas – in order to keep it from their enemies – stored the ambrosia in urns or kumbhs and hid it in four places, where some of it spilled. These are the four places where the Kumbh Mela is held.

A painting depicting the ‘churning of the sea’ by devas and asuras.

The earliest historical account of the Kumbh Mela dates back to Hsuan Tsang, the Chinese traveller and writer who was in India in 629–645 CE. His account mentions thousands of pilgrims gathering and celebrating during the month of Magha.

However, it was the saint and philosopher Shankaracharya who popularised the Kumbh Mela across the country in the 8th century.

Portrait of Hsuan Tsang. (Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons)

The Kumbh in Modern India

Gender Equality Among the Sadhus
History and myth aside, the Kumbh is also having to adapt to the pressures of contemporary India. Women sadhus are constantly fighting for an equal place alongside their male counterparts.

With the male sadhus traditionally dominating the akhadas, the mahant of the all-women akhada is fighting for space for her group in the Kumbh Mela. Jagatguru Shankaracharya Trikal Bhawanta Sarswatiji Maharaj set up the Shree Sarveshwar Mahadev Vaikunthadham Akhada Pari in Allahabad.
– Report in DNA

Akhadas are usually Shaivite collectives of Sadhus and are traditionally almost exclusively male.

A holyman attends the Kumbh Mela festival in Nasik town in 2003. (Photo: Reuters)

Clergy Advertising to Attract Customers
According to an ASSOCHAM report, the Kumbh Mela at Nashik is expected to generate a staggering Rs 10,000 crore for the Maharashtra government.

According to the Indian Express, with this much money at stake, local priests have put up sign boards stating that pilgrims should only get pujas done by clergy who carry a letter of authentication. They say it’s so that the devout don’t get “fleeced”.

Will the ancient festival be able to cope with these very modern issues? Given that it has survived for over a thousand years, it’s likely that it will.